"Before
there was Exxon, there was Esso. And in Texas there was Humble Oil. Humble Oil
was once the most important oil company in Texas with service stations stretched
across the state and huge refineries that supplied both Texans and motorists across
the country."

"Some
of the old Humble stations have been abandoned, others have been remodeled with
a new corporate logo affixed above the station. All the Humble stations are gone.
All but one."

"The
last Humble station no longer pumps gas, and it has no employees. As a matter
of fact, it doesn't even have windows. It's been closed for years."

"The
building is located just south of downtown. Bypassed by thousands of cars daily,
it exists in a void. Too small for redevelopment, but saved from demolition by
being far enough away from the highway, the station sits empty as a monument to
the past."

Humble Gas
Station Related Stories:

Texas
Sketchbook by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales" Column) Humble, a
Texas oil company created in 1911 which in the 1970s became Exxon... published
thousands of copies of the “Texas Sketchbook” and distributed them for free to
anyone who wanted one, including school kids...

35
Years of Humble Serviceby
Mel BrownAt age five, I went to live with my grandparents in San Antonio.
My grandfather, C. K. Brown was nearing the end of a 35 year long career with
The Humble Oil & Refining Co. as a truck driver and was then marking time daily
by running errands for the regional depot. For most of the previous three decades
he had delivered Humble petroleum products throughout South Texas and all over
San Antonio first by mule team, below, then motor transport. But for that first
year before entering grade school, I became his pint sized partner running around
S A with him to the various Humble stations in a '49 Chevy pickup truck.... more
- Mel Brown